Source: Reuters, via Yahoo!

I never thought I would utter such words.

A long time ago, Alan Garcia was Peru’s pain-in-the-ass leftwing president, from 1980-1985. He was only 35 then, and apparently not the same person he is now. He’s grown up. And he’s turned his spectacular talent to be a pain-in-the-ass to the guy it belongs on: Venezuelan dictator Hugo Chavez.

Garcia’s reading Hugo Chavez precisely in bullseye language that resonates with Peruvians … and with me. He’s telling Hugo Chavez to his face exactly what a creepy tinpot dictator he is, which is something Chavez needs to hear.

I’m awed, really impressed by the guy, and he’s likely to win Peru’s presidency next week. I always hated the guy up until now. But now I can see why he’s popular with Peruvians.

Alan Garcia rocks.

I boldfaced the cool stuff so you can see the extent of his rhetorical talent – Agencia EFE reports it here:

Peru’s Garcia rails against Chavez

Lima, May 29 (EFE).- The man favored to win the Peruvian presidency next week railed against Venezuela’s Hugo Chavez, calling the leftist-populist president an aspiring “kinglet” who seeks viceroys in neighboring nations.

Alan Garcia, who previously governed Peru from 1985 to 1990, said Sunday that his rival in the June 4 presidential runoff, Ollanta Humala, wanted to extend the reach of Chavez’s government.
Chavez, a strident antagonist of the Bush administration, is “a kinglet who from the Caribbean wants to have his delegates and viceroys in Peru and Ecuador,” Garcia said. He also called the Venezuelan leader “a little dictator with money.” “There have been dictators without money in the Americas. This one had it easy because he has $70 billion a year just from petroleum,” Garcia told Radioprogramas.

Garcia, on a visit to the southern city of Arequipa, some 1,030 kilometers (640 miles) south of Lima, said an administration headed by him would ask elections officials to investigate whether Humala received money from Venezuela.

“If I am elected, I’ll ask for an exhaustive investigation of the funds and if it was proven that money was received from abroad, he (Humala) could be prosecuted for treason to the fatherland,” Garcia said.

On Sunday, Chavez again called Garcia, whose term in office ended with Peru’s economy in shambles, a “bandit” and “irresponsible.” Chavez said that if Garcia won the presidency, Venezuela would not have diplomatic relations with Peru.

The Venezuelan president criticized Garcia during a visit to the Bolivian town of Tiahuanaco, near the border with Peru, from which he broadcast his weekly radio and television show.
“How can you have diplomatic relations or anything with a government run by a vagabond, an irresponsible guy like that,” Chavez said.

The Venezuelan president wished Humala good luck in the race for the Peruvian presidency. EFE pau/hv

One little note about Garcia’s choice of words – I find it especially interesting that Garcia calls Chavez “a little dictator.” It’s exactly the words Ronald Reagan used on the only Latin leader who gave him more trouble than Garcia himself – odious Daniel Ortega of Nicaragua. Garcia knew Reagan well because he was always giving him a hard time. Now, it’s fascinating to see Garcia learning from Reagan. I hope it extends well past words – Garcia does seem to know how to learn.

UPDATE: Garcia’s now bringing up something I’ve always wanted to see someone bring up: Chavez’s long history as a wife-beater. Garcia, going below the belt, calls it ‘unmanly.’ Go, Alan!